peters



2 Sheets Sheet l.

J. E. SHAW.

TENT.

Patented Nov. 23, 1886` N. PETERS, Phew-umognphev. wasnmgm. u c.

`(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. E. SHAW.

TENT.

Patented Nov. 23, 1886`v Jaya. f QZ n n u 1, u u L lINiTnD STATES JOHN n. sHAw, or

' PATENT @Errea oHroneO, tremors.

TENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,168, dated November 3, 1355.

Application filed August 2, 1886. SerialNo. 209,812. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. SHAW, of Ghicago, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tents, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tents orpavilions, and the objects thereof are, first, to provide aknockdown frame for tents, the parts of which are adapted to be disconnected and closely packed together in a package for transportation;- second, to provide such frame with detachable screens for the sides and a covering for the top, forforniing a pavilion with a covered top and open sides, allowing the air to pass through, but exclud` ing flies and mosquitoes; and, third, to provide an outer covering for the sides adapted to be readily buttoned to the upper and bottom plates ofthe frame at night,in wet weather, or at other times when it is desired to have a closed tent. I attain these objects by the deviee illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- A Figure l is a perspective view of an open tent or pavilion containing my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view without the cover. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section. Fig. 5 represents an enlarged vertical section of one corner. Fig. 6 represents a horizontal section in detail. Fig. 7 is a bottom view of a detail.

The frame is composed of a bottom plate or sill, A, and atop plate, A'. These plates are rabbeted at the corners, a, each being cut half away, so as'to tit flush together, and provided with a hole for a pin to fasten them together at the corners. 'Ihey are also provided with buttons or hooks e',attaehed in any convenient way.

Upright posts B are provided at the corners and at equal intervals along the sides,and these posts are tenoned at each end, as seen at b b'. At the center a plate or cap, C, is provided for eonnectingthe rafters D at the peak. This plate is recessed on the under side, as at c, and provided with pins c', and the top ends of the rafters are bifureated. The ends of the legs or prongs d of the rafters are adapted to it into the recesses of the cap, and have holes for the pins c' to enter, and the legs are sprung inward sufficient to pass between the ends of the pins, which, when brought into line with the holes,will enter them, and thelegs,spring ing outward again, connect the parts. The foot ends of the rafters are provided with a metal plate, d', which has a hole in the end adapted to fit over the tenen b' of the upright parts, so that when four rafters are connected to the center plate and to the corner-posts, the rafters being of suflicient length to give the required piteh to the roof, they will hold the center plate up and support the roof.

The upright posts are provided'wit-h recesses at b'Z to receive the screeirframes E,which are provided upon each side with spring-bolts e,

adapted to enter sockets e'vin the posts when the screens are forced into place between the posts fitting into the recesses. The sereenframes are adapted to fill the space between the posts and the plates A A', and they are preferably all of the same size. One of them, as F', may be hinged to one of the posts, and be made to answer for a door. The screens are made of wire or any kind of gauze, F.

The top G is made of canvas or cloth eut to tit over the rafters and come up snugly' against the edge of the center plate. It is provided with holes g at the proper places to fit over the tenons b of the upright posts, and button- I `holes g around near the outer edge, whereby it is secured by means of the buttons a to the outer edge of the top plate of the frame. The outer edge of this top plate is preferably made with a ledge or proj eetion, f', extending along above thebnttons, so that when the top is buttoned it will be drawn back under the ledge and forni a eloserjoint than if the plate were plain.

The cap H is provided with a metal iiange, 7L, adapted to t over the canvas and cover the joint between it' and the center plate. The opening at the center of the center plate may be covered with gauze F, and an opening, 71,', left between the iiange and the lower edge or brim of the cap for allowing ventilation at the top.

The outer covering, G', for the sides consists of apiece of canvas made long enough to go around the tent, bound at the edges, and provided with button-holes g' te correspond with the buttons on the bottom sill and top plate. The side pieces of the top plate and sill are made in sections hinged together, as at i, so that they may be folded together for packing, and when folded Will not be longer than the rafters. The parts of the frame are made of dressed seasoned lumber, preferably of hard Wood, and all the jointsbetween the parts are made to fit nicely together, so that they can readily be joined or taken apart, and the separate parts are all alike, so that they can be used interchangeably for each other.

In putting up the tent the sills should be laid down upon a level spot of ground. Iprefer to use a metal pin, I, to be driven through the holes on the sills at the corners and places Where the u pright posts cnie into the ground. These pins have a iiange, t, at the top end, which rests down on the top of the sill when driven through the holes thereof` into the ground, a socket extending down from the top to receive the tenon b of the posts and prevent them from getting Wet by contact with the ground. These pins are best made of cast-iron. The posts are put up and the top plate put on and then the rafters and center plate and top canvas. After the canvas is put on, the projecting ends of the tenons b are each covered by an ornamental cap, J, which is fastened by a screw-thread or other fastening, which will hold it snugly down on the canvas and cover the opening th rough it for the tenon. By this construction a light tent is made, the parts of which can be packed in a compact bundle for carrying or moving about by stacking the screens and frame together and Wrapping vthe canvas about them, (or'packing the Whole in a boX,) and which can also be readily unpacked and set up to form an open pavilion or closed tent, as desired. In this Way I have made a complete` tent ten by six feet in plan by five feet six inches high between the top plate and sill, which, all told, would not Weigh over one hundred pounds. Vith such a tent .and a hammock swung in it complete protection from flies, mosquitoes, and bugs is l. The tent herein described, consisting of 5o the frame composed of a sill and top plate, A A', uprights B, center plate, C, and rafters D, in vcombination with top covering, G, side covering, G', and screens F, whose frames are fitted between said plates and uprights, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose specied.

2. In a tent, the frame consisting of a sill and top plate, as A A/provided with buttons or hooks a', uprights B, center plate, C, provided With recesses c and pins c, and raters D, secured in said recesses by said pins, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. Ina tent, the center plate, C, having an opening in the center covered with gauze F, in combination with the cap H, having the flange h and opening h, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a tent, the center plate, C, having recesses c and pins c, and the bifu-rcated rafters D, in combination with the body of the tent, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a tent or pavilion, the cover G, provided With button-holes g at the edge, in coinbination With the plate A@ with buttons a', the center piece, (l, provided with a screenopening, and the cap H, provided with flan-ge h, as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a tent, the combination of the post B,

provided with tenons b b', metal peg I, provided With a flange at the top and a socket adapted to tenon b, and the cap T, adapted to be attached to the tenon b', as and for thepurpose specified.

' JOHN E. SHANV.

Witnesses:

JOHN II. WHIPPLE,

EDWD. H. LEE. 

